editor@oakridgesports.com
and untested. Coach O.J. Sheppard’s girls made it 2-for-2 in the romp department Thursday night at Southwest Point in Roane County as they trounced Kingston 11-0. That comes on the heels of a 10-0 blowout of Clinton earlier in the week in the 2007 season opener. “We got done what we needed,” offered Sheppard, whose Lady Wildcats debut at home at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Central. Sheppard will be gunning for his 200th career win as coach of the Lady Wildcats Tuesday evening. He takes a record of 199-51-18 into the Central contest. “Our starting midfielders and forwards played about 34 minutes while the younger players had some good touches on the ball. We continue to work on our team both offensively and defensively -- and we also worked the runs that will be paramount to our team this year.” Senior all-stater Trenna Howell, coming off a four-goal game against Clinton, pounded in three more scores against the Lady Yellowjackets. Howell opened the OR scoring at 7 minutes, 8 seconds against Kingston and then added her second tally just two minutes later. That opened the floodgates for an 8-0 run by the Lady Wildcats in the opening 40 minutes of action. Hailey Nichols and Kaelyn Angelo each added a pair of first-half scores. Also finding net before halftime were Rachel Johnson and Rebecca Kocak. Maggie Alexander assisted on Oak Ridge’s first three goals. Jamie Grigsby added a pair of assists. Other first- half assists were dished out by Kocak and Briana Holmes. Alexander (Megan Hughes assist), Howell and Johnson (Jennifer Lee assist) closed out the Lady Wildcats’ scoring in the final half. “I was impressed with our execution of some of the things we have been working on,” said Sheppard. “Hughes played a great game on defense while Alexander did exceptionally well on the outside. Johnson played very well in the midfield. Everyone played well.” |
| June/July/August 2007 Archives |
editor@oakridgesports.com Coming off a surprising 28-9 season that included a first-round state tournament loss to eventual class AAA champion Murfreesboro Riverdale, prospects for the 2007-08 basketball season are promising for coach Jill Prudden’s Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats as spring practice gets underway. The OR girls continue practice this week before heading off to team camps the next two weeks at CAK and Shelbyville. Prudden said the Lady Wildcats will be shorthanded this spring as several players are out for various reasons. Rising junior post Shanae Nunez is one of the Oak Ridge players sidelined this spring. Nunez tore her ACL earlier this spring and has already undergone surgery. Prudden said Nunez “could be out until late fall.” With several players absent -- and Oak Ridge graduating leading scorer NaNa McClanahan -- Prudden said it’s time for other Lady Wildcats to rise to the next level. “It’s time for our kids who have been role players to play a more important role,” offered Prudden. “When you lose someone like NaNa who did so much for us, you’re looking for one kid to step in and maybe score more points and another to grab a few more rebounds.” Oak Ridge has a budding star in junior point guard Kortni Jones. With Jones leading the way, Prudden said expect more of an up-tempo style of play from the Lady Wildcats this season. “A number of players on this team can really get up and down the floor. We’re gonna run the floor and press more -- we’ve got a lot of quickness. Kortni, Autumn (Gipson) and Quesha (McClanahan) have all got to raise their level of play.” Prudden is also looking for big things this season from senior Kelcee Ramsey and junior Raegan Thompson, both wings. “We’d love to get a healthy year out of Kelcee. We’re also hoping that Raegan can build on what she did at the state tournament.” By finishing so strong last year, Prudden said the Lady Wildcats set the bar high for 2007-08. “Basketball is a tournament sport and we played our best at the end of the year. This team definitely has the potential to get back there and do more damage.” |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com
Neither should racking up lots more wins than losses. Coach Ricky Norris’ Wildcats, in the early stages of spring practice, return nine of their top 11 players off last season’s 25-9 squad. Norris said a disappointing ending to last season that saw Oak Ridge stumble in the district tournament before being eliminated in the first round of the region by eventual state champion Maryville should serve as ample motivation for his players. “We’ve got a heck of a lot to prove,” said Norris. “I’m hoping we’ll be hungry after the finish we had last year.” Still, Norris acknowledged that Oak Ridge -- along with region foes Maryville, Bearden and Farragut -- will be one of the Class AAA teams to beat in East Tennessee. “There has been a lot of hype around our seniors. It’s time to quit talking about it and go out and prove it.” After last week’s tryouts, Norris said nine players are solidly entrenched on the Oak Ridge varsity. They include seniors Quinche Dowdell, Jared Stephens, Alex Fagan and Josh Gregory. Juniors on the varsity are Tyler Clark, Ralphael Coffey, Demarcus Rogers, Tucker Trent and James Michel. Oak Ridge graduated Clarence Threat off last year’s team. Also, Tre Smith, a part-time starter, is currently ineligible. Dowdell and Stephens give Oak Ridge two of the top individual talents in the area. Dowdell, a 6-4 standout, is being courted by several schools, according to Norris. “Quinche has been offered by Tennessee Tech and is being evaluated by numerous Division I schools,” said Norris. Stephens, a 5-9 point guard, was the glue for the Wildcats last season and Oak Ridge’s toughest all-around player. One of Oak Ridge’s few shortcomings last season was perimeter shooting. Norris said that’s perhaps the key to the upcoming season, with gunners like Clark and Trent expected to develop consistent strokes from the outside. “Their development is crucial. They’re further along now and they’ve been shooting it really well. What they’ve got to do now is transfer it to game situations.” Oak Ridge continues spring practice before playing in a team camp at Karns June 15-16. Other teams on hand will be Maryville, Fulton, White County, Farragut and Karns. The Wildcats head to Auburn, Ala., for another team camp June 20-23. By design, Norris said Oak Ridge will be pushed to the limit at the Auburn camp, which includes some of Alabama’s top Class 6-A schools. “We’re not going to go down there and lay down, but I want to go down there and lose. I told (camp officials) that I want to play the absolute best teams down there. When you lose to teams like that, you can learn and grow.” Other Oak Ridge players who survived tryouts and will play for the Wildcats in some capacity this season are: juniors -- Jakari McClanahan and Nathan Rizk. Sophomores -- Lane Gonzalez, Tracey Hunt, James Normand, Johnny Vann and Zach Witherspoon. Freshmen -- Cameron Gregg, Tyrus Henderson, Tyrece Irons, Shink Lee Jackson, Andrew Lee, Bryson Leinius, Lonnie McClanahan, Hunter Mitchell, Dee Shannon, Josh South and Trevez Smith. OR assistant Goins leaves coaching: For the second time in a matter of days, Norris has lost another assistant basketball coach. Associate head coach Jody Goins, a key member of the Wildcats’ staff for the last three seasons, is sliding over to take the assistant principal position at ORHS, according to Norris. Oak Ridge assistant Colt Narramore recently left to become head coach at Loudon. “Personally, it was a deal where I hoped coach Goins would go into coaching and try and advance in that profession. You’re talking about a guy whose name came up every time a coaching position came open in the area in the last two years. Either he would get a call, or I would. But, the sky is the limit in either (field) he chooses.” Norris said Goins’ contributions were immeasurable both on and off the court. “When you find one as good as Jody, you know you’re not gonna have him long. Every positive adjective you could give to a young coach, I’d give to him. Talk is so cheap, but coach Goins really contributed to our players off the court, as well. He really enjoyed Oak Ridge and coaching Oak Ridge basketball.” |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com Connor Gulmire goes where he’s needed. Be it offense, defense, quarterback, linebacker or safety. Friday night in Lexington, Ky., the former Oak Ridge standout was called on to start at safety for the Tennessee team in the Kentucky/Tennessee All-Star Football Classic at Commonwealth Stadium. The 6-2, 175-pound Gulmire, always a gamer, responded with a game-high nine tackles in a 38-24 win by the Kentucky in the annual high school all-star battle. Gulmire and Tennessee roared to a 21-10 halftime lead before watching Kentucky go on a 28-3 run after halftime to win going away, 38-24. “We got up at halftime and came out kind of flat,” said Gulmire, who is headed to Austin-Peay as a preferred walk-on this fall. “After halftime, our offense just wasn’t producing.” As usual, Gulmire produced for the Tennessee all-stars, just like he did the last two seasons for Oak Ridge’s Wildcats. Gulmire helped the Ridgers to the state Class AAA championship game as a junior, putting up big numbers at quarterback. He played quarterback exclusively last season before breaking his thumb midway through the season. After the injury, Gulmire returned to action on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker where he emerged as one of Oak Ridge’s top tacklers. So which side of the ball will Gulmire start off on at Austin-Peay? “They said they’ll give me a chance to play safety or quarterback. I’ll probably start off at quarterback because they’ve got a couple of people hurt there. I have a lot of fun on defense too, so it’s pretty close as to which (offense or defense) I prefer.” Gulmire will rejoin his brother, Spencer, at Austin-Peay. Gulmire said his big brother may get an opportunity at tailback this fall after playing fullback last season. “He got some snaps at running back in some of their scrimmages. Last year he played fullback, but he was kind of undersized.” Gulmire’s take: Gulmire said a couple of Tennessee signees who played in the all-star game -- Dennis Rogan of Fulton and Anthony Anderson of Austin-East -- are the real deals. Rogan ran for 174 yards on 23 carries and Anderson hauled in three passes for 30 yards and scored on an 11- yard grab in the game. Rogan’s rushing total eclipsed the previous all-star game record. “Rogan was awesome. He’s so quick and he hits the hole so fast. Even though he needs to get a little bigger, he’ s actually kind of powerful. Anderson is amazingly quick and he’s so fast. I had to guard him a couple of times in practice and he’s unbelievable,” laughed Gulmire. |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com Forty-seven athletes were named to the 2007 Boys’ Class AAA All-State Soccer Team in Tennessee, but Oak Ridge goalkeeper Ryan Wilson was the only sophomore selected to the prestigious squad. SoccerCats coach O.J. Sheppard said that’s ample proof that Wilson can take his soccer gig as far as he wants to. “Personally, I think he has the potential to not only play at the Division 1 level, but go on to the professional level as well,” said Sheppard. “His selection as the only sophomore in the state to the team is a tribute to this program and the high school. He ‘ll be one of the top (soccer) products to ever come out of Oak Ridge.” Sheppard said the 6-3 Wilson not only has the much-coveted size to excel in goal, but the accompanying soccer skills and intangibles it takes to continue playing the sport well after high school. “Ryan has great physical size and attributes that are looked for at the next level in a goalkeeper. He’s also a student of the game who learns from his mistakes and takes reaching in the back of the net very personal. “Ryan’s selection is the culmination of his hard work, dedication and commitment to the game. He challenges the coaching staff daily for a work routine that is unequaled. Having played professionally myself, I have to admire a talent like Ryan.” Sheppard said the best is definitely still yet to come from Wilson. “Ryan has made a real commitment to work even harder next year.” Wilson was one of seven keepers named to the all-state team. Another local selection in goal was Bearden’s Bryan Walker. Other area players named to the all-state team were: Forwards--Ben Backstrom (Farragut), Camden Brown (Karns), Aaron Schoefeld (Bearden), Tom Webster (Bearden). Midfielders--Cody McCoy (West), Jake Russell (Farragut). Defenders--Buck Ashe (West), Nic Paolucci (Farragut). |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com
Tennessee. Oak Ridge’s Allen Etheridge confirmed earlier today that veteran West head coach Sam Roberts will be joining his cross countrystaff this fall as an assistant. “This is a pretty big deal as far as track goes,” said Etheridge, whose Oak Ridge boys and girls are ranked No. 1 in the state in the first preseason poll for 2007, which came out just today. “Sam has got a couple of cross country state championships and a state track championship. He has coached something like 42 individual state champions and been named state coach of the year -- and -- if there’s an honor out there, this guy has already got it. It’s not often you have an opportunity to work with someone of his caliber, especially as an assistant coach.” The 48-year-old Roberts has coached track for all 21 of his years at West. He has also coached the Rebels’ cross country team for the last 19 seasons. In addition to his three state titles at West, Roberts’ teams have finished second in the state four times and third another seven times. Roberts has coached some of the state’s top athletes, including rising West senior Jackie Coward who is one of the top prep hurdlers of all time in the nation. While it’s rare that a highly successful head coach resigns to become an assistant position at another school, Roberts said he has no qualms about the move to Oak Ridge. “Allen and I have known each other since about 1991 or ’92,” said Roberts. “When Allen moved to Oak Ridge to help Jim McNamee (former Oak Ridge coach), we started talking about how fun it might be to do this one day. We’ve really been talking about doing this for seven, eight or nine years. “It just seemed so right to make this move at this time. It hasn’t been real sad and the kids at West have been real supportive.” In addition to his friendship with Etheridge, Roberts said there were several other factors in the move. “First of all, I’m ecstatic to get the chance to teach at a top school like Oak Ridge. One of the things I’ve really had my eye on is teaching civics there. “This is a tremendous opportunity for me. It’s an opportunity for me to work with my best friend, work in a great school system -- and financially it’s a good move for me.” The addition of Roberts gives Oak Ridge even more ammunition as Etheridge continues his drive to establish a dynasty in Tennessee cross country circles. Entering just his fourth season as Oak Ridge’s head coach this fall, Etheridge has already guided his teams to two state championships and two runnerup finishes. Etheridge said he has the best staff in the state, bar none. “I’ll put Sam and Ed (Wright, Oak Ridge assistant) up against anybody.” Etheridge, known for saying what’s on his mind, said there won’t be any ego problems with the addition of Roberts. “I’ll be the head coach, Ed will focus on the girls and Sam will focus on the boys. You need that with a program as large as ours. There’s not gonna be any issues among the three of us. I can learn a lot from a guy who has been coaching for 21 years. “Besides, I get to work with two of the nicest guys around. Sam and Ed are both nicer guys than me,” quipped Etheridge. |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com
More often than not, Oak Ridge High School has its eye on that down-the-road prize each season when fall football practice kicks off. Such is the case once again for this 65th edition of Wildcats as coach Stanton Stevens’ Ridgers ushered in football practice Monday. Coming off a disappointing 5-5 season, Oak Ridge appears to have a fighting chance to at least make a legitimate run at a ninth crown for the Wildcats. However, Oak Ridge has not won a state championship since 1991 and the Wildcats have captured only one title in the last 26 years. By historical standards, the Wildcats are due. But history tells you that the ingredients that go into the state championship cocktail include a volatile brew of talent, good fortune and team chemistry. It’s easy to get that recipe out of whack. Winning it all is never easy -- some of the most talented Oak Ridge teams ever came up short. Here’s my picks for the best Oak Ridge teams of all time that failed to win the state championship: 1. 1976 … The senior-laden Wildcats, coming off an unexpected state title in ’75, were ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation in preseason polls. However, this talented bunch -- with perhaps as many quality skill players as any Oak Ridge team in history -- never developed that much-coveted team chemistry. The ’76 Wildcats finished 9-1 and didn’t even make the playoffs thanks to a 10-3 loss to Central. 2. 1984 … Unbeaten Oak Ridge, led by tailback Eric Menefee, quarterback Tommy Laurendine and linebacker Eric Thomas, rolled into a second-round playoff contest at Jefferson County. However, Menefee exited early with an injury and the Patriots capitalized on some good breaks to spring the upset. This game definitely ranked as one of the toughest-to-take losses in Wildcats history. 3. 1957 … Old-timers will tell you that Oak Ridge should have won three state title in a row from 1956-58. However, the ’57 team went 8-2, sandwiched between unbeaten state championship squads. Oak Ridge dropped games to Science Hill (27-13) and Chattanooga Central (8-0), but outscored its other eight opponents by an average of 46-3. 4. 1977 … This Oak Ridge team never got the credit it deserved as the Wildcats ticked off 12 wins in a row heading into a semifinal showdown at Chattanooga Baylor. Quarterback David Webber was a dynamic run/pass threat for the Wildcats, who lost standout Alfred Stephens during the game to a broken leg. Still, Oak Ridge pushed the Red Raiders to the limit before falling 31-27 in a thriller. 5. 1988/1989 … Take your pick here as both of coach Joe Gaddis’ first two teams started 12-0 before suffering crushing defeats at the hands of Murfreesboro Oakland. The Patriots stopped the Wildcats by counts of 7-3 and 17-15 in a pair of memorable defensive struggles to end Oak Ridge’s playoff runs. Honorable mention Oak Ridge teams on the list: 1973, 2005, 1996, 2003. Wildcat fall practice notes: Oak Ridge winds up practice in shorts Friday before putting on the pads Monday. The Ridgers have three fall scrimmages set. On Friday, Aug. 3, defending Class 4-A champ Maryville visits Ben Martin Track for a 5:30 session with Oak Ridge. On Aug. 10 (6 p.m.), Oak Ridge travels to Cookeville for a scrimmage that includes the host Cavs, Bearden and Blackmon. Oak Ridge’s final fall scrimmage is set for Aug. 14 at Ben Martin Track against Alcoa. |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com
interest runs high. The two longtime East Tennessee powers square off at 7 Friday night on Blankenship Field as area fans will get an early look at the Wildcats and Rebels. Coach Stanton Stevens’ Ridgers are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 5-5 season -- and, by most accounts -- the Wildcats should be much improved. On the other hand, it’s the same old, same old for coach George Quarles’ Rebels. Maryville is enjoying a run seldom seen in Tennessee prep football circles. The Rebels have won six of the last seven state Class 4-A football crowns and are 84-1 in their last 85 games. Maryville hasn’t lost a game since 2003 and Quarles has a career mark of 108-9 during his stint at Maryville. That’s not bad considering he started 0-4 in his first season. Oak Ridge should get a good barometer of where its at in the scrimmage as the Rebels appear to have one of their better teams. Maryville will no doubt test the Wildcats’ secondary Friday night as the Rebels have outstanding talent at quarterback and receiver. Aaron Douglas, a 6-6, 250-pound senior, is one of the top 10 tight ends in the country. Douglas is headed to the University of Tennessee in 2008. Rebels quarterback Brent Burnette (6-3, 205) split quarterback duties last season and is drawing attention from several SEC-caliber schools. His top target at wideout is 6-4 Stephen Shiver. Friday’s contest is the first of three fall scrimmages for Oak Ridge. At 6 p.m. on Aug. 10, the Wildcats travel to Cookeville for a four-way scrimmage. In addition to Oak Ridge and the host Cavs, other schools expected to be on hand are Bearden and Blackman. On Aug. 14, Oak Ridge gets another crack at a defending state champion as Alcoa visit’s the Ben Martin Track practice field. The Wildcats were easily handled in last year’s scrimmage against the Tornadoes at Alcoa. Oak Ridge’s 2007 football schedule (All games start at 7:30) Aug. 31 at Fulton Sept. 7 Bradley Central Sept. 14 at Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett Sept. 21 at Heritage Sept. 28 Clinton Oct. 5 McMinn County Oct. 12 William Blount Oct. 19 at Soddy-Daisy Oct. 26 at Ooltewah Nov. 2 Farragut |
By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com Oak Ridge’s Trenna Howell showed a penchant for three-goal games in 2006. It looks like Howell, the Lady Wildcats’ all-state soccer player, is ready to up the ante her senior season. READ MORE HERE. |
editor@oakridgesports.com Just call Jared Stephens “Mr. Go.” On a night where offensive highlights for Oak Ridge were few and far between, the Wildcats’ senior standout provided most of the spark in a two-hour scrimmage against three-time defending Class 4-A state champion Maryville at Jack Armstrong Stadium. Stephens split time at quarterback and tailback for coach Stanton Stevens’ Wildcats -- and the 5-8, 161-pound darter obviously had more hop in his step than most of his teammates. Stephens led all rushers in the scrimmage with 66 yards on 12 carries and hooked up with wideout Ralpheal Coffey on a 20-yard touchdown pass for Oak Ridge’s only points. Stephens was the third OR quarterback to play as junior David Irby garnered the start, followed by classmate Tyler Clark. Irby’s numbers included 4-for-6 passing for 45 yards while Clark, who also lines up at receiver, was 2-of-6 for 29 yards. Stevens said you can expect to see more of the quarterback-by-committee methodology throughout the season. “We’ve got three quarterbacks, but only one of them can play at a time,” said Stevens. “You’ll see all three (at quarterback) at different times this season -- and -- you’ll see all three on the field at the same time.” Meanwhile, Maryville had most of its success early. Senior quarterback Brent Burnette directed the Rebels on a 10-play, 70-yard scoring march on the first drive of the Blankenship Field scrimmage. Running back Cody McCoy dove over the 2-yard line for the score. The Rebels later added a 30-yard field goal by Brian Ward and a 15-yard scoring toss from backup quarterback Aaron Chamberlain to Will Lairamor. Coffey had a couple of nice receptions for the Wildcats and ended up with three grabs for 52 yards. Tight end Joe Daniels-Mulholland looked strong across the middle and wound up with three catches for 36 yards. Absent from the scrimmage for Oak Ridge was the Wildcats’ best breakaway threat, junior wideout Demarcus Rogers. All in all, Stevens said his Wildcats have a long way to go before the Aug. 31 season opener at Fulton. “We’re not very good right now. Some of the guys we’re trying to get a good look at didn’t step up and take advantage of their opportunities. “The guys we expected to play well -- like Jared, Alex (Stuart) and Raphael -- did. We’ve just got some other guys who need to play better.” They’ll get their opportunity again at 6 p.m. WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS Friday as the Wildcats travel to Cookeville to take part in a four-way scrimmage with the host Cavs, Bearden and Blackman. |
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area’s top teams – battled it out in a game-type scrimmage. The Wildcats and Tornadoes went exclusively with varsity performers the first two quarters, with Alcoa managing to edge out Oak Ridge on the scoreboard, 15-13. Highlights included:
perfectly along the Alcoa sidelines with the long floater – and the OR junior took it the distance after making another of his patented big plays.
Irby, a junior who is trying to nail down the starting quarterback for the Wildcats, had one of his better scrimmages throwing the ball. Irby was 3-for-4 for 84 yards and showed better touch throwing the ball. Meanwhile, Stephens continues to supply most of the excitement in the Oak Ridge ground game. He rushed for 82 yards on nine attempts to account for all of OR’s net yards on the ground. Tight end Joe Daniels-Mulholland and fullback Kevin Summers each had two catches for the Wildcats. Oak Ridge ended up with 187 totals yards (82 rushing, 105 passing) to Alcoa’s 235 (99 rushing, 136 passing). Next up for coach Stanton Stevens’ Ridgers is a Friday night appearance in the Anderson County Jamboree. |
editor@oakridgesports.com Could this finally be the year for the Oak Ridge High School Lady Wildcats’ soccer team? Coach O.J. Sheppard said it might very well be. Sheppard’s 12th edition of Lady Wildcats features a promising blend of veteran players and an influx of newcomers that figure to add lots of punch to an already upper-tier program. “More so than in years’ past, this is a team that can go all the way, but they still have to play the game,” said Sheppard, who is once again assisted by coach Chris Woods. “We’ve got 14 varsity players back who started at different times last season.” Sheppard said this year’s team may be one of his most physically capable yet at Oak Ridge. “We’ve got speed at ever position -- and they are fit.” Oak Ridge, which ended up 15-7-1 last season, opens its 2007 slate at 6 p.m. on Aug. 21 at District 3-AAA foe Clinton. The Howell Factor: Scoring machine Trenna Howell, a 2006 all-state selection for the Lady Wildcats, returns for her senior year. Coming off a 27-goal junior season, even bigger things are expected from Howell this fall, according to Sheppard. “I’m really looking for her to extend those numbers this year with what Trenna has behind her.” One of the keys for Oak Ridge is finding enough scoring punch behind Howell. Last year, Oak Ridge’s second- top goal scorer (Courtney Brackins) had just eight tallies. “What killed us last year was we had Trenna … and then we had Trenna. We never could find a complementary striker to help her.” While Sheppard said he probably doesn’t have a definitive No. 2 scorer in mind, it may be a case of goals by committee. “It’s gonna be a combination (of players). We could be so dangerous coming out of the midfield. We’ve got players like Maggie Alexander, Rachel Johnson, Jennifer Lee and Jamie Grigsby. All of those can strike deadly and any one of those girls could do a lot of damage.” New and improved: Sheppard said Johnson, a junior, and Kathryn Grabenstein, a sophomore defender, are perhaps the Lady Wildcats’ most improved players. “Rachel Johnson has improved her game 100 percent from last year. She will play a key role for us. Grabenstein struggled with her fitness last year, but she came in fit as a whistle. She’s going to be a force for us -- she’s a miniature-sized Buckley (Brianna).” Buckley, of course, was an all-state choice for OR last year. Too close to call: Sheppard said there’s a spirited competition going on for the starting goalkeeper position between junior Lauren Fritts and sophomore Jessica Shewmaker. “It’s just too close to call. Right now, each goalkeeper brings something to the table the other doesn’t have.” Bouncing back: Junior defender Gwen Lawson continues to make progress from ACL surgery. “She’s trying to regain her touch,” said Sheppard. “Gwen will be an anchor on the defense, as well.” And a team leader, as well. Lawson, Howell and Megan Underwood have been named team captains by Sheppard. Back in the fold: Oak Ridge got a big boost by the returns of Underwood and Meghan Hughes to the soccer pitch. “Underwood hasn’t played soccer in three years -- she’s just a phenomenal athlete. Hughes hasn’t played in a couple of years. She has made a great impact on the coaching staff.” Fab frosh: Sheppard said this may be the best freshmen class during his tenure as Oak Ridge coach. “This is the first time in my 12 years that we will have no freshmen on the junior varsity. We’ve got five freshmen coming in -- and they’re all on the varsity. This is as good a freshmen class as I’ve had -- and the thing about is, not one of them is afraid.” Incoming ninth-grade players for OR are Maddie Bishop, Briana Holmes, Hailey Nichols, Kaelyn Angelo and Tania Ayala. Holmes is a transfer from Bearden. Oak Ridge will also get a lift come district tournament time when transfer Greta Youchmann becomes eligible. Youchmann, who transferred from Webb, is a sophomore with superior soccer skills, according to Sheppard. “I’ve not seen a player who is technically and tactically more proficient than her. She will play JV ball until the district tournament.” Departed: One player Sheppard was counting on who won’t play for Oak Ridge this year is Shaina Riciputi. An all-region and all-district selection in 2006, Riciputi’s family moved to New Mexico recently. “That loss will hurt us. She is a player we had counted on.” Usual suspects: Sheppard said he expects the usual teams to be in the chase for the Class AAA state championship this season. “Bearden (the defending state champ) is gonna be strong again, then you’ve got teams like Farragut, Collierville, Hendersonville, Brentwood, Franklin and Houston.” And one other -- Oak Ridge. |
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Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats Tuesday night at Laklee Owens Memorial Field. Oak Ridge struggled to a 3-0 lead at halftime against the overmatched Clinton Dragons before cranking up its goal-scoring machine in the final 40 minutes to win going away. “We created some opportunities, we just played sloppy and we struggled,” said Sheppard. “It’s hard to judge your team when you see a performance like ours today. But, it was our first game. We were just too anxious and didn’t show enough patience.” The Lady Wildcats, after missing numerous scoring opportunities in the first half, got untracked early in the second stanza. Trenna Howell fired in three goals and Rachel Johnson added another during a four-goal run in less than seven minutes that jumped OR’s lead from 4-0 to 8-0. Howell ended up with four goals on the night to lead the Lady Wildcats in scoring. The all-state senior also ended the first half with a score off an indirect kick. Oak Ridge out-shot Clinton 35-0. It was also the Dragons’ first game of the season. It took the Lady Wildcats just 1 minute and 31 seconds to get on the board as Alexis Franco picked up some garbage in front of the Clinton net and put it in for a 1-0 Oak Ridge lead. Maggie Alexander took honors on goal No. 2 as her long kick hit the side of the crossbar and bounded back into the net at the 12:53 mark. Alexander, who also picked up three assists on the night, notched the Lady Wildcats’ first goal of the second half when her shot bounded off a Clinton player for the score just 3:20 in. After OR’s four-goal onslaught, the Lady Wildcats closed out the scoring with Briana Holmes and Chelsea Angelo finding net. Oak Ridge returns to action at 7 Thursday night as the Lady Wildcats visit Kingston. OR’s home opener is set for Tuesday, Aug. 28, against Central at 7. |
editor@oakridgesports.com CLINTON -- It’s officially Fulton Time for the Oak Ridge Wildcats. Coach Stanton Stevens’ Wildcats wrapped up their slate of fall practice scrimmages with a one-quarter contest against Anderson County Friday night at Dragons Field. Preparation now turns to the Aug. 31 season opener at Fulton. While Stevens was hardly ecstatic with his team’s showing against the Mavericks, he said Oak Ridge should be ready for Fulton. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing (in practice) the next two weeks,” said Stevens, who dropped a 7-0 decision to the Mavs in the Anderson County Jamboree. “We played horrible and they only scored once. It was a 12-minute jamboree -- that’s what it is.” Oak Ridge struggled offensively against the Mavericks, who didn’t exactly move the ball up and down the field at will, either. The Wildcats finished with 52 total yards (11 rushing, 41 passing) to AC’s 45 (21 rushing, 24 passing). Jared Stephens paced the Oak Ridge ground game with 12 yards on six carries. Starting quarterback David Irby was 2-for-9 with two interceptions. His two completions went to tight end Joe Daniels-Mulholland. Anderson County was led by quarterback Paul Longmire (4-for-5, 24 yards) and receiver Cody Seiber (3 catches, 18 yards) on offense. The lone score of the scrimmage came on a 10-yard burst up the middle by AC’s Chad Coleman at the 6 minutes and 51 seconds mark. The Mavericks’ score was set up by an interception of Irby by Mikey Idles at the OR 39. Anderson County’s Tyler Sharp also grabbed a pick following a deflection of an Irby pass. For the Wildcats, sophomore lineman James Normand recovered a fumble late in the scrimmage to give Oak Ridge one final offensive possession. The Wildcats advanced to the Mavs’ 28, but an Irby pass fell incomplete on the scrimmage’s final play. Stevens said a big key for Oak Ridge between now and Fulton is to get healthy. Starters Demarcus Rogers, Kevin Summers and Andrew Kirkpatrick all missed the Anderson County scrimmage due to injuries. Rogers, Oak Ridge’s best break-away threat, has been sidelined with a nagging ankle injury. It’s of paramount importance to get him back for Fulton. “We have got to get some guys healthy,” said Stevens. |
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Realistically outrageous. To say expectations run high for coach Allen Etheridge’s charges would be the understatement of all understatements. Oak Ridge’s boys are shooting for their third-consecutive state championship -- a feat accomplished only two other times in TSSAA history. That was done by the Wildcats from 1983-85 when Etheridge was a member of the Oak Ridge squad; and by Clarksville from 1964-66. Read More Here |
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Of particular note, Coach O.J. Sheppard racked up his 200th career victory as coach of the Lady Wildcats. Sheppard, in his 12th season, has an outstanding career mark of 200-51-18. “I feel honored to coach here at Oak Ridge High School,” said Sheppard. “They give you such great athletes to coach -- we’ve had really good players to work with.” Oak Ridge improved to 3-0 heading into this weekend’s Katie Hunter Tournament. The Lady Wildcats have outscored the opposition 36-0 in three games -- a trend that figures to take a drastic dip this weekend, according to Sheppard. “It’ll be interesting,” admitted Sheppard, referring to the Lady Wildcats’ response to much-improved competition. “It’ll probably take a game to get used to playing (better teams). It’s going to be a rude awakening that first game.” Oak Ridge kicks off play in the Katie Hunter Tournament at 9 Friday night against St. George. The Lady Wildcats tangle with Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett at 9 a.m. Saturday. At 9 Saturday night, Oak Ridge squares off against Collierville in probably the marquee matchup of the weekend. Oak Ridge is ranked No. 7 in the state while Collierville is No. 2. Sheppard’s girls close out tourney play at 2 p.m. Sunday against Beech. Against Central, Oak Ridge standout Trenna Howell continued her early season scoring binge as she slammed in five more goals. It took Howell just 1 minute, 51 seconds to dent the Central net as she took a Rachel Johnson assist and stutter- stepped past the Lady Bobcats’ goalie for the score. Howell scored her five goals in only about 30 minutes of action. Johnson added two first-half goals and another assist as OR bolted to a 7-0 lead at intermission. Jamie Grigsby and Kaelyn Angelo also pocketed opening-half goals as Oak Ridge out-shot Central 31-4 on the night. The onslaught continued in the final 40 minutes of service, with other Lady Wildcat scores coming from Jessica Hayes (two goals), Grigsby, Angelo, Maggie Alexander and Kathryn Grabenstein. Sheppard said the most encouraging aspect of the game was Oak Ridge’s ability to take care of business. “Last year we couldn’t put away the easy opponents. We only beat Central 3-0 at their place last year.” |
Posted 8:30 p.m. August 28, 2007 Oak Ridge football: 2007 season prospectus By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com Region 2 5-A has never been tougher at the top. William Blount and Farragut appear to have their best teams in recent memory. Defending region champion Ooltewah made it all the way to the state semifinals last season -- and the Owls look as strong as ever. Read More Here. _________________________________________________________________________ Posted 8:30 p.m. August 28, 2007
By Mike Blackerby Editor@oakridgesports.com Oak Ridge is a Class 5-A school. Fulton is a Class 3-A school. If you think that gives the Wildcats any kind of advantage over the Falcons, guess again. That comes from no less an authority than Oak Ridge coach Stanton Stevens, whose team kicks off the 2007 high school football season at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Bob Black Field in Knoxville. Read More Here. _________________________________________________________________________
Oak Ridge fact sheet/starting lineup See It Here. ________________________________________________________________ Posted 8:30 p.m. August 28, 2007
See It Here. |
Posted 6:30 p.m. August 21, 2007 Lady Wildcats look to do their ‘part’ this cross-country season By Mike Blackerby editor@oakridgesports.com These Oak Ridge Lady Wildcats certainly want to hold up their part of the “bargain” this cross-country season. Assuming Oak Ridge’s boys -- the prohibitive favorite to win the state Class AAA meet for the third year in a row -- live up to expectations, it’s then up to the Lady Wildcats to make it a clean sweep at the Steeplechase Course in Nashville come November. Read More Here |
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Ridge High School soccer complex. A total of 19 teams are scheduled to play 38 games today through Sunday at various fields around Oak Ridge. One of the highlights of the tournament is a pair of back-to-back Saturday night matchups featuring four of the state’s top teams -- Oak Ridge vs. Collierville at 9, preceded by Farragut and Germantown Houston at 7. “That’s a showcase,” said OR coach O.J. Sheppard, referring to Saturday night’s matches. “That’s two of the top schools in the east playing two of the top schools in the west.” Oak Ridge enters the tournament 3-0 and ranked No. 7 in the state. Collierville sits at No. 2 in the latest rankings and the west Tennessee school has been a thorn in the Lady Wildcats’ side the past few seasons. “We’ve lost three 1-0 games in a row to Collierville,” said Sheppard. “Two were at their place and one was in the state tournament. They’ve got a tremendous amount of athletes -- and -- typically, they have big, physical players.” The Lady Wildcats kick off play at 9 tonight against St. George. Oak Ridge takes on Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett at 10 Saturday morning before meeting Collierville in the night session. OR wraps up round-robin play at 2 Sunday against Beech. While the Lady Wildcats enter tourney play 3-0, they’ve been untested, outscoring Clinton, Kingston and Central by a combined 36-0. “Offensively, we’ve developed a real nice rhythm, but our goalkeeping has not been tested. Now, it’s time to get up on the horse and see if we can ride it. Typically, our girls rise to the occasion in situations like this.” The tournament is divided into two brackets. The more competitive bracket includes Oak Ridge, Collierville, Farragut, Columbia Central, Beech, Houston, St. George, Memphis Briarcrest and Dobyns-Bennett. The other bracket features Central, Henry County, Arlington, David-Lipscomb, Clinton, University School of Nashville, Davy Crockett, St. Cecilia and Powell. For the entire Katie Hunter XI schedule, refer to ladywildcatsoccer.org. |